Vehicle management systems and associated processes can consider energy consumption when selecting routes for fleet vehicles. Vehicle management systems and associated processes are described that, in certain embodiments, evaluate vehicle energy usage based on factors such as terrain or elevation, vehicle characteristics, driver characteristics, road conditions, traffic, speed limits, stop time, turn information, traffic information, and weather information, and the like. The features described herein may also be implemented for non-fleet vehicles, such as in personal vehicle navigation systems.
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1. A method for optimizing energy use of a powered vehicle, the method comprising: by a computer system comprising computer hardware, determining navigation instructions to navigate the powered vehicle along a transportation route connecting a plurality of stops via a network of streets in a geographic region; outputting the navigation instructions for presentation to a driver of the powered vehicle; determining a vehicle speed recommendation for at least a portion of the transportation route, the vehicle speed recommendation being different from the navigation instructions and being calculated to reduce energy use by the powered vehicle along the portion of the transportation route, the vehicle speed recommendation being lower than a posted speed limit for the portion of the transportation route; and outputting the vehicle speed recommendation for presentation to the driver while the powered vehicle travels along the portion of the transportation route.
A computer system optimizes energy use for a vehicle by calculating navigation instructions for a route between multiple stops. It displays these instructions to the driver. The system also calculates and displays a vehicle speed recommendation for a portion of the route. This recommended speed is lower than the posted speed limit and is designed to reduce energy consumption. The driver sees both the route and the speed suggestion while driving.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle speed recommendation is between 75% of the posted speed limit and 90% of the posted speed limit.
Building upon the method for optimizing energy use of a powered vehicle by determining navigation instructions to navigate the powered vehicle along a transportation route connecting a plurality of stops via a network of streets in a geographic region; outputting the navigation instructions for presentation to a driver of the powered vehicle; determining a vehicle speed recommendation for at least a portion of the transportation route, the vehicle speed recommendation being different from the navigation instructions and being calculated to reduce energy use by the powered vehicle along the portion of the transportation route, the vehicle speed recommendation being lower than a posted speed limit for the portion of the transportation route; and outputting the vehicle speed recommendation for presentation to the driver while the powered vehicle travels along the portion of the transportation route, the vehicle speed recommendation is set to a value between 75% and 90% of the posted speed limit.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle speed recommendation is calculated based, at least in part, on terrain characteristics of the portion of the transportation route.
Building upon the method for optimizing energy use of a powered vehicle by determining navigation instructions to navigate the powered vehicle along a transportation route connecting a plurality of stops via a network of streets in a geographic region; outputting the navigation instructions for presentation to a driver of the powered vehicle; determining a vehicle speed recommendation for at least a portion of the transportation route, the vehicle speed recommendation being different from the navigation instructions and being calculated to reduce energy use by the powered vehicle along the portion of the transportation route, the vehicle speed recommendation being lower than a posted speed limit for the portion of the transportation route; and outputting the vehicle speed recommendation for presentation to the driver while the powered vehicle travels along the portion of the transportation route, the calculation of the recommended speed is based, at least in part, on the terrain characteristics of the route segment.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the terrain characteristics comprise a change in elevation on the portion of the transportation route.
Expanding on the energy optimization method where the vehicle speed recommendation is calculated based on terrain characteristics, the terrain characteristic used in the speed calculation is a change in elevation along the route. Thus, uphill or downhill sections affect the recommended speed.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the navigation instructions comprise turn-by-turn directions for operating the powered vehicle.
Expanding on the energy optimization method where the navigation instructions are determined to navigate the powered vehicle along a transportation route connecting a plurality of stops via a network of streets in a geographic region, the navigation instructions presented to the driver consist of turn-by-turn directions.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating and outputting an alert for presentation to the driver in response to determining that the driver did not comply with the vehicle speed recommendation.
The energy optimization method, which determines navigation instructions and a fuel-saving speed recommendation, also generates an alert if the driver does not follow the recommended speed. The alert is displayed to the driver.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the alert is an audible alert.
In the energy optimization method that provides alerts for non-compliance with the speed recommendation, the alert presented to the driver is an audible alert.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the navigation instructions and the vehicle speed recommendation are output for presentation on a display positioned inside the powered vehicle.
In the energy optimization method where navigation instructions and fuel-saving speed recommendations are determined and presented to a driver, both the navigation route and the speed recommendation are displayed on a screen inside the vehicle.
9. A system for optimizing energy use of a powered vehicle, the system comprising: processing circuitry comprising physical computer hardware configured to: determine navigation instructions to navigate the powered vehicle along a transportation route connecting a plurality of stops via a network of streets in a geographic region; output the navigation instructions for presentation to a driver of the powered vehicle; determine a vehicle speed recommendation for at least a portion of the transportation route, the vehicle speed recommendation being different from the navigation instructions and being calculated to reduce energy use by the powered vehicle along the portion of the transportation route, the vehicle speed recommendation being lower than a posted speed limit for the portion of the transportation route; and output the vehicle speed recommendation for presentation to the driver while the powered vehicle travels along the portion of the transportation route.
A vehicle system optimizes energy use by calculating navigation instructions for a route connecting multiple stops and displaying them to the driver. The system also calculates a vehicle speed recommendation for a segment of the route that is lower than the speed limit to save fuel. This speed recommendation is presented to the driver while they are driving on that route segment. The system uses computer hardware to perform these calculations and display information.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle speed recommendation is between 75% of the posted speed limit and 90% of the posted speed limit.
The vehicle energy optimization system, which calculates navigation instructions and a fuel-saving speed recommendation (lower than the posted speed limit), sets the recommended speed to a value between 75% and 90% of the posted speed limit.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle speed recommendation is calculated based, at least in part, on terrain characteristics of the portion of the transportation route.
The vehicle energy optimization system, which calculates navigation instructions and a fuel-saving speed recommendation (lower than the posted speed limit), bases the calculation of the recommended speed, at least in part, on the terrain characteristics of the route segment.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the terrain characteristics comprise a change in elevation on the portion of the transportation route.
In the vehicle energy optimization system that calculates the speed recommendation based on terrain, the terrain characteristic considered is a change in elevation along the route.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the navigation instructions comprise turn-by-turn directions for operating the powered vehicle.
In the vehicle energy optimization system where navigation instructions are calculated to navigate the powered vehicle along a transportation route connecting a plurality of stops via a network of streets in a geographic region, the navigation instructions that are output to the driver consist of turn-by-turn directions.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to generate and output an alert for presentation to the driver in response to determining that the driver did not comply with the vehicle speed recommendation.
The vehicle energy optimization system calculates navigation instructions and a fuel-saving speed recommendation (lower than the posted speed limit). It also generates and displays an alert if the driver doesn't comply with the recommended speed.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the alert is an audible alert.
In the vehicle energy optimization system that provides alerts for non-compliance with the recommended speed, the alert presented to the driver is an audible alert.
16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to output the navigation instructions and the vehicle speed recommendation for presentation on a display positioned inside the powered vehicle.
In the vehicle energy optimization system where navigation instructions and fuel-saving speed recommendations are determined and presented to a driver, both the route and speed recommendation are displayed on a screen located inside the vehicle.
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October 8, 2015
July 11, 2017
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